Adi Guru, Siri Guru Nanak Dev, is the founder of this tradition, the very personification of totality.
Nanak Belongs to All
For 22 years, he flowed throughout the known and the unknown worlds, breaking the false walls of division and separateness like a mighty river of Oneness, Ik Ongkaar.
During his visit to the roof of the world, in Tibet, the Land of Lamas, they saw him as the reincarnation of Guru Padmasambhava and referred to him as “Lama Nanak” and “Badra Guru,” the Precious Master.
The Sufis of the Persian desert addressed him as “Pir Nanak” and “Wali Nanak.”
The Vedic masters saw the flow of the Vedas in his words and declared him as “Avtari Nanak” and “Baba Nanak.” In the Land of Lau Tzu, China, where he sat and shared the teachings of Oneness, they named the city “Nanking” in his honor. The Taoist Sages bowed at his feet and proclaimed him as “Bhusa Nanak.”
When he climbed the Himalayan Mountains to meditate with the Yogis and Siddhas, they recognized him as the incarnation of the Great Spirit, a man of Oneness, whom their ancient Puranas had predicted would take birth to unite Humanity. In gratitude for his wisdom, they called him “Yogi Nanak” and “Avdoot
Nanak,” the immaculate master.
Guru Nanak belonged to all, everybody claimed him, yet he was no one.
Ruknadin, a Sufi saint once asked him, Falallah mazhab hoo? This means: which religion do you belong to? And guru Nanak replied, Abdula allah laha majhab hoo, which means I am a servant of god; I am god’s servant, and I have no religion.
Guru Nanak was followed by 9 other masters, and finally the light was transmitted onto the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, the Guru in the form of Sound
Current, the very living embodiment of Divinity.
His incarnation was foretold
The Vedas mentioned, 5-10,000 years before his birth, that a great man of consciousness would be born; it even mentions the name Nanak as well as other aspects about him.
Jog Dhi-aan Gur Gi-aan Binaa Prabh Avar Na Jaanai.
He (Guru Nanak) is the Master of Yoga, Meditation, and Spiritual Wisdom; He knows none other except the Divine.
– Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji pg 1390
Three Days in Water
One early morning, during the ambrosial hours, about 500 years ago, Nanak entered the River Vaee to take his bath before his daily Sadhana. But on this morning, unlike others, Nanak waded further and further into the river, until he plunged into its depths.
Nanak’s childhood companion, Mardana, waited for hours for him to reappear, but there was no sign of Nanak. Mardana ran back to the village for help. He woke the entire village and soon a crowd had gathered at the riverside. Many ran back and forth the whole length of the river bank, but Nanak was nowhere to be found.
Three days passed and now everyone was certain that Nanak had drowned. People imagined that his body must have been carried away by the currents of the mighty river or perhaps eaten by wild animals. However, on the third morning after his disappearance, as the sun was rising, Nanak did return. Three days in deep Samadhi in the river Vaee had transformed Nanak into Guru − the Enlightened One. As he immerged from the river, his first words were “Ik Ongkaar − We are all One.”
Within this beautiful story lies the whole essence of Guru Nanak’s teachings. The three days in the story represent the time required for the individual ego to dissolve completely. Unless you drown your ego in the waters of Shabad, the divine cannot manifest.
And when the ego has dissolved, then the Divine manifests in you, and your essence becomes Divine and whatever is before your eyes is also seen as Divine. In that Union, all you can say is “Ik Ongkaar” − We are all One. There is no place for any duality.
Guru Nanak explains this merger in his own words, “Nanak Leen Bhaeyoo Gobind Seon, Jion Pani Sang Pani.” Nanak merged with the totality, like water merges into water.
The Birth of Jap Ji
Out of this great merger, a sacred sound known as Jap Ji was born. It contains a language of a totally different caliber. If one connects with Jap Ji with openness and receptivity, something will start singing within them and blossoming, and the ego will slowly drown in its vibrations. It triggers the dormant energy in one’s being.
As you chant these words of Guru Nanak, a powerful alchemy will take place. Your body, like an instrument, will begin to vibrate at the same level of consciousness as Guru Nanak when he had the Jap Ji experience.
Guru Nanak’s Travels
As he left his home, he had two companions, one was a Hindu and one was a Muslim (or a Sufi you can call them). These were the only two traditions in India. Had there been more, he would have brought them along. He went around the world, he went North, South, East, West; for 22 years he travelled around the planet Earth.
Included here is a picture of some of his travels, although he did travel many other places also. It is so mentioned that he also travelled to different dimensions and different planetary
systems. The names of those planets are given in Janamsakhis; this text also mentions life on those planets.